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DPR seals four filling stations over fuel diversion in Anambra

The
Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed four filling stations in
Anambra for alleged diversion of fuel.

The
operators of two other outlets were reprimanded for selling the product above
the recommended pump price of N145, while DPR officials forced five other
stations to sell at the normal price.

The affected
filling stations are located in Ogbunike, Onitsha, Nkpor, Obosi and Nnewi.

Fuel sells
for between N185 and N200 per litre in Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha.

Speaking to
journalists on Saturday, Mr Linus Ikegbunam, the Head of Safety, Environment and
Health Department, DPR, who led a five-man enforcement team, said the marketers
were suspected not to have discharged products meant for their stations
accordingly.

Ikegbunam
said the filling stations sealed for suspected diversion had the product designated
for them as contained in their manifests.

He said DPR
was worried over the rising cases of product diversion, especially at this time
of supply challenges but assured that the agency was ready to combat the
menace.

He wondered
why a marketer who procured as much as between 40,000 and 50,000 litres of
petrol would not sell to the people rather divert them to other locations.

He said the
stations would remain closed until investigations were concluded on them and
warned that those found culpable would be made to face the full wrath of the
law.

“Selling
above government approved price of N145 is an offence and that is why we
enforced compliance at some stations. Those who are habitual offenders were
also sealed and penalised,” Ikegbunam explained.

However, the
marketer at Seaman’s Petroleum, Mr Geoffrey Anioke, said it had been difficult
procuring products in the last two months, making it impossible to sell at the
government approved price.

Anioke said
selling petrol at N145, when the landing was between N165 and N170 was a huge
loss for them.

He urged the
Federal Government and the NNPC to supply enough petrol to eliminate the black
market and artificial price increase.

“We get fuel
from N165 to N170 at the moment and it is not possible to sell at N145 and
forcing us to sell at that price is punishing us and driving us out of
business.

“We are
ready to serve the people and keep the economy going and that is why we are
making extra efforts to have product, we expect government to address the
shortage rather than making us suffer,” he said.

Meanwhile,
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the petrol supply and price situation
deserved an urgent and lasting solution.

Mr Jerry
Nnubia, Chairman of Anambra chapter of the NLC, told NAN that it was expected
that the price of petrol would return to normal soon after the Yuletide period
but the crisis had lingered.

He said the
unofficial hike in the price of petrol was having a severe effect on the lives
of Nigerians, especially workers.

“The Federal
Government should ensure that the sector returned to normal through massive
supply products.

“You are
aware that petrol is the driver of every other sectors of the economy and you
can see the suffering this hike has brought to the people.

“The labour
is holding government responsible for what is happening because they are the
only people that can save the situation,” he said.

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